Chapter 21: The battle that never was

Reluctantly Scott agreed to Tara accompanying Lachlan and himself on the ride north. He had mustered five hundred of the Dalriada men, all horsed, and led them up Glen Shira once they left Inveraray. They skirted the foot of Beinn Bhoideach and Beinn Bhalgairean, forded the Teatle Water and headed northeast through Glen Orchy.

The crossing of the vast Rannoch Moor (fifty square miles) was at once hard going because of the treacherous, boggy conditions underfoot, but also uplifting due to russet colours of the autumn vegetation, framed by the ring of mountains that surrounded the moor. Some of the peaks were hidden under clouds and snow was already evident high up on the mountains' shoulders.

As they rode, Tara maintained a lively conversation and it was difficult for Scott to remain upset with her for very long.

"So your Grace, what do you have in store for this rebel of yours?" she asked.

"A hard lesson, that's what I have in mind for Constantine Captain, one he won't forget in a hurry. Too many times have the people of Scotland been let down by their leaders. I need to remind him as to what his responsibilities are." replied Scott.

"I am led to believe from the gossip of your men around Inveraray that this Constantine has two thousand men with him and you are only taking five hundred to stand against him. It puzzles me that your men seem so confident against such odds. Are you that good a commander?" she asked.

"Watch you're tongue lassie, of course the Ard Righ is that good a commander! See you, he has faced much worse odds than that and still won the day." interjected Lachlan.

"Thank you Lachlan. We have a few surprises up our sleeves for Constantine Captain. But as always, I'm hoping there will be no actual fighting. Nothing saddens me more than the spilling of Scots blood and I would rather avoid that." said Scott.

"How will you avoid that your Grace? If the man is hell bent on doing battle you will have no other option." said Tara.

"I believe the men he has with him are at best reluctant. There is perhaps a lesson here for us all. A poor lord will not secure the full commitment of his people. Performing your responsibilities well, caring for and nurturing your people, ultimately breeds loyalty amongst them." Scott answered.

"Never fear Captain, I'm sure the High King has a ploy in mind. He usually does." finished Lachlan.

He watched as the red-haired Irish Captain glanced across at the High King, her interest in him barely masked in her admiring look. Lachlan smiled to himself as he considered the additional trouble that Scott could find himself in with a fourth wife.

They rode between Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, entering Atholl proper and made their way towards the settlement at Blair Atholl, situated at the foot of Glen Garry. The site for this camp was impressive indeed. The Glen was picturesque and more than a dozen peaks rising over three thousand feet sat immediately to the northeast.

The camp was fairly modest in terms of population, only a few hundred based here, but that was normal for Atholl. The area was beautiful, but large parts were forested or mountainous. The burgh at Atholl informed Scott that their scouts placed Constantine and his men only some ten or twelve miles to the west at the Pass of Drumochter. His journey southwards had obviously been much hampered through the need to haul the cannon with him.

Scott called his lieutenants together and began to issue orders. Tara was fascinated to see him in action, his leadership and authority lending absolute weight to his words and commands. Six separate bands of fifty men rode out of Blair Atholl, leaving Scott with only some two hundred to guard the camp.

Once more Tara was surprised as Scott and Lachlan relaxed about the camp, eating a meal and sipping at beakers of ale.

"Your Grace, you seem to be very relaxed for someone who faces a host four times your number. Shouldn't you be riding out to harry and try to even up the odds? Or is that what these men have ridden out to do?" she asked.

"Why don't you join us Captain? We have a few hours yet before there will be any work for us to do." Scott replied.

"So, is the Earl of Ayrshire correct your Grace? Do you have some kind of plan in mind?"

"Patience Captain, patience. All will hopefully become clear." replied Scott as he chewed on some cooked pork.

Meanwhile Scott's lieutenants rode up the length of Glen Garry, each of the groups stationing themselves at different points within the deep Forest of Atholl to await the force marching towards them from the Pass of Drumochter.

As Constantine and his host came into sight of the first group of Scott's men, they spurred across the path at right angles, giving the impression they were fleeing from the much larger host. A party of perhaps one hundred broke away from Constantine's larger group and gave chase, following the horsed men into the forest.

This happened a further five times as the afternoon progressed, with the same results so that when Constantine called a halt for the night, he was down to around thirteen or fourteen hundred men in his force. Back at Blair Atholl Scott's mounted men returned, leading six hundred and fifty of those who had until very recently been with Constantine. Once they had lured the men away from the main host, Scott's lieutenants had not found it difficult to persuade these men to change sides. Once they knew it was their High King that Constantine was seeking to bring to battle there was no further persuasion required.

As darkness fell, Scott spoke to the newly arrived men from Fortrenn and two hundred of them melted off into the night. By morning the men had returned, bringing a further one thousand of Constantine's force with them. These had been roused in the dark by their friends and told that they were marching to fight the High King. Again little further persuasion had been required to get them to slip off into the night to join Scott.

Scott now had over two thousand men against Constantine's three or four hundred. Once again the men from the north had chosen their High King over their misguided earl.

When Tara found out that all the extra men had actually come from the force they had set out to fight, she couldn't understand how Scott had managed to achieve that. Lachlan began to explain the many improvements Scott had set in train and what these meant to the lives of the people. He told Tara how Constantine was slow to implement the improvements, almost seemed to be against them, and now the people were voting with their feet to show whose approach they supported.

At mid-morning, Scott ordered all the men to assemble and they advanced out of Blair Atholl to meet Constantine and the men he had left. Barely a mile from the settlement they met a further band of some two hundred that had abandoned Constantine.

The leader of this band informed Scott that Constantine had recognised the realities of the situation and was already hurrying northwards once more, abandoning the cannon in his haste.

So, without a single blow being struck or cannon fired, Scott had defeated Constantine and a force four times his numbers. Tara began to understand the reason why so many looked to this man for leadership.

Scott asked Lachlan to take half of the mounted men to pursue and apprehend Constantine. He addressed the men of Fortrenn, thanking them for their faith in him and their support. He ensured they had sufficient food and then advised them to return to their homes and families.

"I will be appointing a new Earl of Fortrenn in due course my friends. I hope for your sake he proves to be a more able lord than the misguided fool who led you here."

No one disagreed with that sentiment.

Scott shared a pleasant return journey to Inveraray with Tara O'Cahan. He confirmed he would have fought Constantine if there was no other way of bringing him to book, but would have regretted having to do so. He had suspected it wouldn't be difficult to separate the men from the lord given how poorly Constantine treated his people, but he had also brought some mortars with him and he knew he could have won the day if it had come to battle.

Scott's first job when he was home was to call for his father. Fergus was up on the mountain, overseeing work on the hydroelectric plant so he knew he would have to wait for a few days. He took the opportunity of giving Tara a mini-tour of Inveraray and they got to know each other a little as they talked while riding round.

"Your Grace, I noticed a strange structure being assembled at Oban when I landed there. Can I ask what that was?"

"Ah Tara, that would have been our first metal ship. It should really make us invincible at sea when it's finished." he replied.

"Metal? But surely it will just sink. All know that metal sinks in water your Grace. Do you have some magic up your sleeve that can countermand Mother Nature herself?" she asked next.

"No, I can assure you it will not only float, but sail much faster than anything you've ever seen on the water. Nor will it be dependent upon the wind or even men rowing."

He could see Tara's mind was boggling as she tried to take all of his claims in. He took her to see the cable plant under production and to the laboratory where his scientists were hard at work. Scott explained what they had already done and what he hoped they would be able to achieve. His description of medicines and vaccines left her amazed once more.

He took her to the school and explained what lessons the children were being given and also told her of the evening classes and special tutoring his specialists were no delivering.

Once they were back at Scott's house he demonstrated how the range cooker, the running water, the toilets and the sunken bath worked. Tara was quiet for perhaps the first time since she had arrived at Inveraray and Scott smiled as she flushed the toilet over and over like a little child might.

Over a meal that night Tara asked Scott again about his metal ship.

"Your Grace, would it be possible for me to visit those who are building this metal ship for you? As a captain myself I am curious about your absolute faith in what such a ship will be able to do."

Scott could see no reason for allowing her to do so. There were no secretes there that she could share with anyone. No one else had anywhere near the capacity to recreate what he was currently doing - capacity in terms of steel, welding, riveting and all the other technology that would be required to make the ship a reality.

Tara set off with a small escort the next day and Scott's father turned up not long afterwards. It seemed as if Scott's messenger had been superfluous as Fergus was already making his way to Inveraray for the weekly specialists meeting. Scott had completely forgotten about this and he joined his father to walk over to the hall-house. He carried a heavy bundle with him.

Once the specialists had all gathered Scott indicated he had an announcement to make.

"Most of you will have heard about Constantine's rebellion. I have forfeited him his earldom and now need to put another in his place."

He opened the bundle to disclose a golden earl's belt.

"Step forward Fergus mac Donald."

His father looked at Scott nervously and pointed a finger to his own chest as if to ask - "who, me?".

"Yes, you dad, come on step forward."

Fergus shuffled forward hesitantly until he was standing in front of Scott.

"Fergus mac Donald, I hereby name you Earl of Fortrenn. My hope is that you will be a better lord for its people than the last few have proven to be."

"But Scott, my work, the plant, I can't do this!"

"Nonsense dad, you'll make a fine earl and don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to work on your power station. In any event, you have no choice here I'm afraid. This is my Royal command. Now, to normal business my friends."

The newcomers were buzzing with this latest development and came forward to congratulate Fergus on his elevation. Once things calmed down a little the progress reports began to be made. After the happiness of investing his father as an earl, this was all depressing stuff. Time after time the specialists were reporting that their initial estimates of how quickly things could be made had been rather optimistic. Even his father was now suggesting that the power station was going to take much longer to complete.

"You sent the Colonel off to fight Scott and he is the demolitions expert. I've diverted the water and have begun pouring concrete, but things are going very slowly. These meetings have also confirmed that it will be some considerable time before the many components I need will be manufactured.

Scott pointed out that the Colonel was in fact now the Earl of Northumbria, but it was as if his father hadn't heard him, as he just continued with his list of problems.